Iron Skillet Biscuits

There’s something about a cast-iron skillet full of biscuits that takes you straight to a Sunday breakfast at grandma’s. This stripped-down recipe leans on the screaming-hot skillet to do most of the work, building a crust that crackles when you tear into it while the inside stays pillowy.

The trick that sets these apart is the mid-bake butter pour. Five minutes in, when the tops have just started to set, you yank the skillet out and drench them with melted butter. It runs down between the biscuits, basting the sides as they finish baking, so every edge crisps up like the corner piece of a pan of cornbread. Drop them by the spoonful and let them touch in the skillet so they bake into one giant pull-apart loaf.

Kitchen Tips

• Use self-rising flour, or stir 1 tablespoon of baking powder and 1 teaspoon of salt into the all-purpose flour. The original recipe assumes one of the two.
• Cut the shortening in until the mixture looks like coarse meal, with pea-sized lumps remaining. Those fat pockets create flakiness as they melt.
• Don’t overwork the dough. Stir just until the flour disappears. A few dry streaks are fine.
• Get the cast iron screaming hot before the dough goes in. A quick preheat on the stovetop after greasing helps the bottoms develop that signature crunch.
• Serve straight from the skillet while still piping. These are at their peak in the first 15 minutes out of the oven.

Variations

• Swap water for buttermilk to add tang and tenderness.
• Stir a cup of shredded sharp cheddar and a pinch of cayenne into the dough for cheesy biscuits.
• Brush the tops with garlic-herb butter the moment they come out for an Italian-style spin.